Ear pain is a very common complaint. Among the most common causes, especially in children, is otitis media, an inflammation of the middle ear without reference to etiology or pathogenesis. Otitis media can be classified into many variants on the basis of etiology, duration, symptomatology, and physical findings. Otitis media is the second most common disease of childhood, after upper respiratory infection (URI). Otitis media is also the most common cause for childhood visits to a physician's office. Annually, an estimated 16 million office visits are attributed to otitis media; this does not include visits to the emergency department.
Two current treatments for ear pain are systemic analgesics and local anesthetics.
Systemically administered drugs include, among others, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen and paracetamol. In severe cases, narcotics may be administered.
Local anesthetics include benzocaine, antipyrine, butamben, dibucaine, lidocaine, oxybuprocaine, pramoxine, proparacaine, proxymetacaine, and tetracaine. Presently, the only prescription product for in-home use in the United States to locally treat pain related to otitis media has two anesthetics, antipyrine and benzocaine. The two drugs are dissolved in glycerine and administered as drops. The formulation is well known to be messy and sticky.
Further, without the use of an otoscope, one cannot be assured that the medication is getting to the tympanic membrane quickly and in sufficient quantities.
Published U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0318918 discloses a method for treating middle ear infections by transmembrane administration of a medicament-containing transmembrane carrier composition comprising a nonionic polymer surfactant to the tympanic membrane.
Published U.S. Patent Application No. 2010/0918135 discloses a system and method for use in iontophoretic anesthesia of the tympanic membrane inclusive of an earplug and electrode device.
Published U.S. Patent Application No. 2011/0015489 discloses an otoscope with an attachable ear wax removal device.